


To Love Is To Place Our Happiness In The Happiness Of Another

by afteriwake



Series: Stuff Of Improbable Legends [3]
Category: Elementary (TV), Georgina Kincaid Series - Richelle Mead
Genre: Amused Georgina, Confused Georgina, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dancing, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Kiss, Friends With Benefits, Friendship/Love, Implied Sexual Content, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, Kissing, Literal Sleeping Together, Male-Female Friendship, Neck Kissing, POV Alternating, POV Georgina, POV Sherlock Holmes, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Kissing, Protective Georgina, Protective Sherlock, Protectiveness, Relationship Out of Order, Roleplay Logs, Slow Romance, Surprise Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-06-03 15:22:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6615661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There once was two people who thought themselves incapable of love, for various reasons. But perhaps, in this strange universe they've found themselves in, they might find they could possibly be mistaken.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Love Is To Place Our Happiness In The Happiness Of Another

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sideofrawr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sideofrawr/gifts).



> So I had plans to write a million other fics first but for some reason _this_ is the one that stuck with me the most. **sideofrawr** and I are not entirely sure where we're going to go with them and whatnot (which is why it doesn't end with marriage or a declaration of love like the other two did, just their first _actual_ kiss), so this is all kind of nice and vague for how long it will take (because we decided it will move _slowly_ ), but I'm quite proud of it. Title came from the quote by G.W. Von Leibnitz.

  
**i**  
kiss on the neck  
_i want you/you are mine_   


She had been with quite a few people over the years, but Sherlock was...different. He had preferences, rules. And she was willing to work with them. The one that had surprised her the most, however, was no kissing on the lips. There could be kissing anywhere else, just not on the lips. That was just too intimate, he said, and she understood that. She understood that quite well.

Even with whatever the magical impetus that had caused them to feel that they were perfect for each other there was something comforting being with someone again. As she let her lips trail along his jaw line to his neck, her teeth grazing his skin when they got above his pulse point. She pulled a bit of his skin between her teeth and he groaned at that, pulling her closer. Yes, she knew what he would like, even with restrictions placed on her.

  
**ii**  
kiss on the stomach  
_sexual attraction/desire_   


Sex was not something he needed or necessarily wanted. It wasn’t something that was part of his general daily or even weekly routine. But there was something about it with Georgina that was...different. Now that the effects of the weird magic in New Orleans had worn off and the forced attraction between them was gone he had thought that there would be nothing between them.

But there was something.

Tonight she was in his bed again, without any magical nudging. Her hands were handcuffed to his bed-frame and he was making his way down her stomach, dropping kisses on her skin. She made small noises, and he could see her biting her lip to keep from being louder. Not that it mattered; they were alone.

Perhaps he should give her real reason to. Return the favour, so to speak.

That _would_ be the most fair and honourable thing to do.

  
**iii**  
kiss on the cheek  
_platonic love/friendship/attraction_   


Sherlock was actually a rather good friend, all things considered.

He was quite adept at compartmentalizing the sexual part of their relationship from the friendship part of it. And she was glad for that, because really, she could do with good friends here. They had good conversations about a wide variety of topics, and then there was the aspect of him that made her think that she was special. She suspected he didn’t let people close, and yet he let her close.

Like now. They were on his sofa, talking about Greek plays, and she was tired, and he pulled a blanket over them. She lifted her head up and kissed his cheek softly before nestling into him. “You aren’t like this much, are you?” she asked.

“I find myself making exceptions for you,” he said.

She grinned and then shut her eyes. “Good,” she said in a contented voice.

  
**iv**  
kiss over the wrist  
_i think you are beautiful/i find you attractive_   


He hadn’t wanted to come, to be quite honest. Things like this weren’t his forte, really. He could put on a front if he needed, be sociable, but really, he liked to be alone. He liked his solitude. But Georgina wasn’t like that. She was a social butterfly, and she liked to be around people, and he needed to accept that.

But seeing her tonight in her finery, perhaps going out and doing more things with her would be good for him.

“May I have the honour of this dance?”

She turned and gave him a wide smile, offering her his hand. “Of course!” she said.

He took her hand and pressed a kiss over her wrist, and then pulled her into her arms as a new song started. He settled one hand on her waist, shifted his hold on her other one and took her out on the floor.

  
**v**  
kiss on the fingertips  
_i care about you_   


She was going to kill the bitch.

He hadn’t really talked about Irene Adler or Jamie Moriarty or whatever the hell her name was in the time she’d known him, and now that she was _here_ in New Orleans and causing trouble he was withdrawing from everyone.

Withdrawing from _her_.

And she hated that.

But she had basically barged her way into his brownstone and sat down with him and said she wasn’t leaving until he _talked_ to her. And so finally he told her the whole story, and she just sat there and held him for a long while, keeping him close.

Eventually, they stirred on the sofa, and she lifted his hand up and kissed his fingertips. “Whatever she does, it doesn’t matter,” she said. “She isn’t going to ruin our friendship or anything like that. Just don’t push me away, all right?”

He nodded. “All right,” he said.

  
**vi**  
kiss on the knuckles  
_protectiveness_   


He was fairly sure there was little that could actually harm Georgina, though he wasn’t entirely sure. But if Jamie made a move to harm one single hair on her head, so help him, he would seriously contemplate murder again. And quite possibly go through with it. And he was _fairly_ sure Kate might actually help him escape being tried for it. He had contemplated killing Moran once, after all.

Georgina had more or less moved in for the time being. It was rather nice not to spend each night alone. She was asleep now, her head on his shoulder, and he lifted her hand up and kissed her knuckles while she slept. He wasn’t sure exactly what he could do, what Georgina would _let_ him do, but he was damn well going to keep her safe from Jamie or die trying, if it was the last thing he did.

  
**vii**  
kiss on the nose  
_you make me happy_   


He _definitely_ had a unique sense of humor, but oh, she really loved it. Any time he could make her laugh she found herself feeling a sort of lightness she hadn’t felt in a long time. It was rather nice.

They were on the sofa together, their feet pulled up as they were sitting next to each other, and he was telling her about a rather humorous case that he had been assisting Kate and Emily on where anything that could have gone wrong did. Tears were streaming down her face because she was laughing so hard. “So Emily had to dress up like a _hooker_?” she asked.

Sherlock nodded, a grin on his face. “Oh yes. It was quite the sight.” He paused for a second, and then leaned forward and kissed her nose.

She blinked. “What’s that for?”

“I couldn’t resist,” he said, shrugging slightly.

She grinned. “Ah.”

  
**viii**  
kiss over the back of the hand  
_respect/admiration/reverence_   


He sat in the back, watching her give the lesson. To be quite honest, he loved to watch her dance. She moved with such fluid grace and such admirable skill. He could easily have danced with her if he so chose; he knew all the steps and his own skill level was at least on par with the intermediate students. But watching her was more enticing.

When the lesson was done he stood as she came over to him, wide smile on her face. “You know, you should take a lesson with me so I can have an excuse to dance with you,” she said.

“But then I won’t have an excuse to watch you dance,” he said. “And I always like to watch competent professionals at work.” He reached for her hand and kissed the back of it, and she blushed slightly at that while he grinned at her.

  
**ix**  
kiss over the heart  
_i am connected to you_   


She was falling for him.

She didn’t know _how_ it had happened, but over time it had been _her_ having so much trouble separating everything. She wanted the friendship and the sex to be mixed with romance and she knew he had said if it ever got to that point he would be fine with it, but she worried after everything he would have changed his mind.

And she didn’t know how to tell him, which was the worst part.

So now she was in bed next to him, awake while he slept, thinking. She lifted her head up and pressed a kiss over his heart. Perhaps she would tell him at some point. Maybe she would get the courage to risk what they had for something more. But until then, she was going to hold on to what they had tightly with everything she could and not let go.

  
**x**  
kiss on the palm of the hand  
_i am yours/i know you have me_   


He could tell something had shifted between them, or was shifting. And he didn’t mind, to be honest. There could be worse people to be with. She was an amazing woman. Truly amazing, someone he enjoyed being around. Someone who bettered his life in many ways. And he enjoyed the way she made him feel.

He _could_ , possibly, love her.

He wasn’t sure. He wasn’t sure he was capable of it, but she was someone who he cared for greatly. He hadn’t felt like this since Jamie. He just wasn’t sure he could _do_ this again. But for Georgina, he would be willing to try.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked, bringing him out of his head.

He pulled her hand up to his lips, kissing her palm. “I think we should go out on a date,” he said slowly.

She smiled at him widely. “I’d like that,” she said.

  
**xi**  
kiss on the lips  
_romantic love/attraction_   


She knew he was not the most romantic person in the world, but for a first date he had actually done a rather remarkable job of making it rather memorable and enjoyable. And afterward, he’d invited her in for a coffee. It was an old, familiar scene, one that had played out often: the two of them in his kitchen, moving around each other with ease. When she bumped into him he reached for her, pulling her close, sliding her hands to the small of her back. She looked at him and after a moment he moved a hand up to her face and she waited, and then he leaned in and kissed her softly. She shut her eyes as she kissed him back, sighing into it. Maybe this was all worth the wait, she decided. Maybe it would end better this time with him.

Maybe she’d be that lucky.


End file.
